He was the son of Sthenelus and Nicippe, grandson of Perseus 2. As heir, Sthenelus was the successor to the throne of Mycenae. The term Mycenaean is often used in reference to the Late Bronze Age of mainland Greece in general and of the islands except Crete (Modern Greek: Kríti). Sthenelus, another of Amphitryon's uncles, then king of Argos, banned him from his kingdom because he had become defiled by his crime. Cretan artists must have immigrated to the mainland, and local varieties of all the Minoan arts arose at Mycenae. Hera and Zeus quarreled at who would be the hero that would destroy all the monsters of the previous era, in order to … Husband of Nicippe of PIsa. The son of Perseus and Andromeda and thus brother of Perses, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Electryon, Cynurus, Gorgophone and Autochthoe. It was set, as Homer says, “in a nook of Árgos,” with a natural citadel formed by the ravines between the mountains of Hagios Elias (Ayios Ilias) and Zara, and furnished with a fine perennial spring named Perseia (after Perseus, the legendary founder of Mycenae). Sthenelus welcomed the brothers and gave them the city of Midea to rule. The latter is composed of two main blocks—one originally covering the top of the hill but largely destroyed on the erection of the Hellenistic temple and the other occupying the lower terrace to the south banked up artificially on its western edge. Nabis of Sparta carried off some of the young men about 195 bce, and an inscription from 194 refers to their detention. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In Greek mythology, Sthenelus (Ancient Greek: Σθένελος, Sthenelos, "strong one, forcer"; derived from sthenos, "strength, might, force") was a king of Mycenae, a son of Perseus and Andromeda, the latter having founded Mycenae. Seven years he reigned over Mycenae, rich in gold, after slaying the son of Atreus, and the people were subdued under him; but in the eighth came as his bane the goodly Orestes back from Athens, and slew his father's murderer. Zeus. South of the grave circle lie the ruins of the “ramp house,” the “south house,” and the “house of Tsountas.” Another building, known as “the granary,” from the carbonized barley, wheat, and vetches found in its basement, was erected in the 13th century bce between the Cyclopean citadel wall and one of the grave circles; it continued in use up to the destruction of the city by fire about 1100 bce. At the southwestern corner of the later palace, the west lobby led to the grand staircase of 22 steps, a landing, and another 17 or 18 steps culminating in a small forecourt that afforded entrance to the great court and to a square room immediately to the north. In the centre was a round plaster hearth enclosed by four wooden columns, possibly implying the existence of a clerestory. From the Lion Gate at the entrance to Mycenae’s citadel, a graded road 12 feet (3.6 metres) wide leads to a ramp supported by a five-terrace wall and thence to the southwestern entrance of the palace. Sthenelus or Sthenelās, king of Argos and son of Crotopus, son of Agenor, son of Triopas. He was the son of Sthenelus and Nicippe, grandson of Perseus. He was succeeded by his son with Nicippe (the daughter of Pelops ), Eurystheus . Everyone knows Hercules, the great Greek hero. Ares mated with the mortal Mycenaean princess Pelopia, and gave birth to Kyknos. Death: Immediate Family: Son of Perseus, Founder of Mycenae and Andromeda, Queen of Mycenae. Perseus’ son, Electryon, ruled Mycenae, until he was probably killed accidentally by his nephew and son-in-law, Amphitryon. ; and Electryon, King of Tiryns « less. Minoan naturalism and exuberance were tempered by Greek formality and sense of balance, which were already visible in Middle Helladic painted wares and were later to culminate in the splendid Geometric pottery of the Dipylon cemetery at Athens. The roof was probably flat. Mycenae evidently continued to exist as a small city-state, and the walls were not pulled down. Updates? 1 In Myth 1.1 Birth 1.2 Twelve Labours 2 Family According to a prophecy, the first-born grandson of Perseus would inherit Mycenae. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, Ancient History Encyclopedia - Mycenae, Greece. He was king of Mycenae, and through the cunning of Hera got power over Heracles, and imposed upon him the celebrated twelve labours. He was in turn succeeded by his son Eurystheus, born to him and his wife Nicippe,[3] and was eventually killed by Hyllus, son of Heracles and Deianira.[4]. Sthenelus . Within the citadel were various houses of retainers. Son of Perseus, Founder of Mycenae and Andromeda, Queen of Mycenae Husband of Hipponome Father of Anaxo; Amphitryon Prince of Tiryns and Perimede Brother of Perses Ancestor of Persian Kings; Sthenelus, King of Mycenae; Mestor; Heleus; Gorgophone and 1 other. Sthenelus of Mycenae King of Mycenae. The Late Mycenaean period (1400–1100 bce) was one of great prosperity in the Peloponnese. In Greek mythology, Eurystheus was the king of Tiryns, a stronghold near Mycenae. The Exile of Amphitryon Amphitryon idly tapped his club with his fingers as he watched the herdsman, directed by Licymnius and Sthenelus ushering the cows onto a plain on the outskirts of Mycenae. Mycenae, Modern Greek Mykínes, prehistoric Greek city in the Peloponnese, celebrated by Homer as “broad-streeted” and “golden.” According to legend, Mycenae was the capital of Agamemnon, the Achaean king who sacked the city of Troy. Afraid of what their dad will do, the murderous brothers hightail it to the big city of Mycenae, where they totally hit it off with King Sthenelus. Father of Eurystheus Nemesis of Heracles. But some say that when Perseus 1exchanged kingdoms (Tirynsagainst Argos), he founded Mycenae and called the city so because on its site the cap (myces) fell from his scabbard, and he regarded this as a sign to found a city. By Nicippe, Sthenelus became the father of Eurystheus , Alcyone, and Medusa. …wife, Hera—another child, the sickly Eurystheus , was born first and became king. As heir, Sthenelus was the successor to the throne of Mycenae. The Mycenaeans. By Nicippe, sister of Atreus and Thyestes,[1] Sthenelus became the father of Eurystheus, Alcyone and Medusa (Astymedusa). Sthenelus of Mycenae. In Greek mythology, Sthenelus (Ancient Greek: Σθένελος, Sthenelos, "strong one, forcer"; derived from sthenos, "strength, might, force") was a king of Mycenae, a son of Perseus and Andromeda, the latter having founded Mycenae. A few Roman objects have been found, but when the Greek traveler and geographer Pausanias visited the site about 160 ce, he found it in ruins. Mycenaean raiders harried the coasts of the Egyptians and the Hittites, and at a date traditionally supposed to be 1180, but by some scholars now estimated at about 1250 bce, Agamemnon and his followers sacked the great city of Troy. Until the mid-20th century, Mycenaean literacy was attested only by a few symbols painted on vases, but in 1952 the excavation of “the house of the oil merchant” and “the house of the wine merchant” outside the walls disclosed a number of tablets in the Linear B script first identified at Knossos (Knosós) and later interpreted by the English architect and cryptographer Michael Ventris to be an earlier form of the Greek language. In Greek mythology, Sthenelus was a King of Mycenae and Tiryns, a son of Perseus, and the father of Eurystheus. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Sthenelus (King) of MYCENAE & TIRYNS Poss. Omissions? In 470, however, its aggressive neighbour Árgos, which had been neutral in the Persian war, took an ignoble revenge by besieging Mycenae, and in 468 Árgos destroyed it. Long ago, the hero Perseus slew Medusa, married princess Andromeda and became King of Mycenae and Tyrins. Later on, Sthenelus' kid, Eurystheus, inherits the throne. Sthenelus Son of Perseus Sthenelus was the son of the famous Greek hero Perseus, and his wife, Andromeda; Sthenelus thus had seven siblings, Alcaeus, Cynurus, Electryon, Gorgophone, Heleus, Mestor, and Perses. Son of Sthenelus and Nioippe. East of the corridor lay a series of rooms, the most interesting known from its decoration as “the room of the curtain frescoes.”. Perses, Heleus, Alcaeus, Sthenelus of Mycenae, Electryon, Mestor, Cynurus, Gorgophone, Autochthe In Greek mythology , Perseus ( / ˈ p ɜːr s i ə s , - sj uː s / ; Greek : Περσεύς ) is the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty . The most imposing, “the house of the columns,” rose to three stories in height. He had paid a hefty price for the return of the cattle and they offered only slight recompense to the damage suffered by Electryon’s family. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. This article relating to Greek mythology is a stub. The existing palace must have been reconstructed in the 14th century bce. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. He succeeded his elder brother Electyron, as king of Mycenae. In this episode, we review the costly Taphian war and go through the rise and reign of legendary king Sthenelus of Mycenae. In Thebes, Amphitrion and Alcmene married. On the Greek mainland, the apex of the Bronze Age is the period known as the Mycenaean period. Both the porch and the main portion of the megaron had floors of painted stucco with borders of gypsum slabs and with frescoes on the walls, one apparently representing a battle in front of a citadel. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Perseus’ son, Sthenelus, was king of Mycenae and Tiryns at that time. Early in the 6th century bce a temple, from which one fine relief survives, was erected; in 480 Mycenae sent 400 men to fight against the Persians at Thermopylae, and its men were at Plataea in 479. (Amphitryon was also the husband of his niece, Alcmene, and she joined him in his exile.) Sthenelus exiled Amphitryon for the murder of his brother, Electryon. king of Mycenae after Electryon, uncle of Amphitryon, descendent of Perseus. Eurystheus was a famous king in tales of Greek mythology, for as well as ruling over two kingdoms, that of Mycenae and Tiryns, he was also a long term antagonist of Heracles, for it was King Eurystheus who set Heracles his Twelve Labours. Wives/Partners: Archippe ; Nicippe ; Antibia ; Leucippe ; Astydameia Their rivalry and enmity had led to a cycle of violences and bloody murders that lasted for another two generations. Pronunciation of Sthenelus with 2 audio pronunciations, 1 meaning and more for Sthenelus. He had many, many sons, several of whom went on to marry daughters of King Pelops of Pisa. Other scholars, however, have regarded it as a hearth and the room as a guest chamber; the throne might then have stood on the right of the megaron (great central hall), a part that has now disappeared. 4. When afterwards Eurystheus, the son of Sthenelus, marched out against the Heracleids, he entrusted the government of Mycenae to his uncle Atreus; and after the fall of Eurystheus in Attica, Atreus became his successor in the kingdom of Mycenae. Andromeda (mythology) - Mestor - Electryon - Perseus - Heleus - Sthenelus of Mycenae - Gorgophone (Perseid) - Laonome - Amphitryon - Cynurus - Guneus - Pelops - Astydameia - Autochthe - Hipponome - Anaxo - Perimede (mythology) - Lydia - Androgeus (son of Minos) - Heracles - Greek mythology - Ancient Greek - Mycenae - Perses (son of Perseus) - Hippodamia of Pisa Sthenelus is the son of Perseus and Andromeda. Eurystheus In Greek mythology, Eurystheus was the king of Tiryns, a stronghold near Mycenae. [2], Sthenelus exiled his nephew Amphitryon, born to his brother Alcaeus, from Mycenae for having murdered Electryon, Sthenelus' other brother. Sthenelus was the son of Perseus and Andromeda. (See HYLLUS.) Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Sthenelus accessed to the Mycenaean throne at Tiryns. In pursuing the children of Heracles, and attempting to bring about by force their expulsion from Attica, he was defeated and slain in his flight by Hyllus. His son Sthenelus married Nicippe, and they had a son, Eurystheus. For when Hercules was about to be born, Zeus declared among the gods that the descendant of Perseus then about to be born would reign over Mycenae, and Hera out of jealousy persuaded the Ilithyias to retard Alcmena's delivery, and contrived that Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, should be born a … The 10 plaster layers of the hearth and 4 of the floor suggest that this hall was in use for a considerable time. The existence of a palace shrine on the upper terrace seems implied by discoveries of a magnificent ivory group consisting of two goddesses and an infant god with fragments of painted tripod altars and other objects. Systematic excavation of the site began in 1840, but the most celebrated discoveries there were those of Heinrich Schliemann. He was king of what was later called the Peloponnesus. When Eurystheus died, Atreus and Thyestes contested one another for Mycenae. He was in turn succeeded by his son, Eurystheus. Brother of Perses Ancestor of Persian Kings; Mestor; Heleus; Gorgophone; Alcaeus of Mycenae and 1 other. Sthenelus, king of Mycenae, and husband of their sister Nicippe (the Scholiast on Thucydides calls her Astydameia) invited them to come to Midea, which he assigned to them as their residence. Eurystheus suceeded his father to the Mycenaean throne, at Tiryns. One day he decides it'd be fun to march off to battle the Heracleids, the descendants of Heracles. Sthenelus, King of Mycenae. There an oblong area with a raised plaster border has been interpreted by some scholars as the base for a throne where the king sat in audience. In Greek mythology, Sthenelus (Ancient Greek: Σθένελος Sthénelos, meaning: "strong one" or "forcer", derived from sthenos "strength, might, force") was a name attributed to several different individuals: Sthenelus, father of Cycnus and King of Liguria. The whole area is studded with tombs that have yielded many art objects and artifacts. After the destruction of Knossos, on Minoan Crete, Mycenae became the dominant power in the Aegean, where its fleet must have controlled the nearer seas and colonized the Cyclades, Crete, Cyprus, the Dodecanese, northern Greece and Macedonia, western Asia Minor, Sicily, and some sites in Italy. In the Hellenistic period Mycenae revived, and a new temple was built on the crown of the acropolis; in 235 bce the Argive tyrant Aristippus was killed there, and the city wall was repaired. Sthenelus took the throne that should have belonged to Amphitryon. Led to a cycle of violences and bloody murders that lasted for another generations... 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